Hunting Methods
Shiny hunting methods are methods in which one would use to obtain Shiny Pokémon. Be sure to stay stocked on Pokéballs. Random Encounters Random Encounters is probably the easiest method. All it requires is running around in the grass until a shiny appears. This method is affected by the Shiny Charm. Soft Resetting Soft resetting is one of the only ways to encounter a shiny legendary Pokémon. This can be done for a few other non-legendaries, though. What’s great about this method is it isn’t restricted to just one generation and can be done in every generation other than generation one. Shiny legendary Pokémon are the hardest Pokémon to hunt using this method, only because they are incredibly difficult to capture if you aren’t prepared, it will lead to a failure in the worst-case scenario. This however is avoidable if you bring a level 100 Pokémon that can learn the move “False Swipe”, and a Pokémon with both the moves “Thunder Wave” and “Hypnosis”. In each game, different requirements must be met in order to encounter each Legendary Pokémon. Assuming you’ve met said requirements and have a target, all you’ll need to do is save in front of the Pokémon/Object used to encounter it, encounter the Pokémon, and if it’s not shiny, then press start, left trigger, and right trigger all at the same time for the 3DS line, and for the normal DS line, press start, select, left trigger, and right trigger all at the same time. Again, assuming you find your shiny, you’ll want to get it down to low health using your “False Swiper.” The reason for the False Swiper, if you didn’t already know, is to safely get the target down to one Hit Point without knocking it out. A Pokémon cannot be knocked out with the move False Swipe. Once you finish with that, use your Pokémon with Hypnosis or Thunder Wave to paralyze it/put it to sleep. The reason for these two moves is because electric-type Pokémon cannot be affected by Thunder Wave, so Hypnosis can be used as a substitute and vice versa. However, Pokémon can wake up from Hypnosis and will need to be put back to sleep. Doing so will increase the capture rate of your target and will make it easier to capture. All that’s left to do is to throw any kind of Pokéball, preferably the Ultra Ball, which has the highest capture rate without needing any requirements to be met, only second to the Master Ball, which you can obtain once throughout the storyline and will capture without fail. This should only be used when you know or suspect that your target is low on PP, or Power Points. When it’s PP runs out, it will begin to struggle, causing it to deal substantial damage to itself. This is one the biggest reason people fail a shiny legendary. The second one pertains to a specific legendary Pokémon named Giratina. Since it is a ghost type, it cannot be hit with normal type moves unless it has had either the move “Odor Sleuth” or “Foresight” used on it. This is the second most failed shiny legendary Pokémon due to people not bringing Pokémon with either Odor Sleuth or Foresight, allowing them to hit Giratina with False Swipe. Instead, they often underestimate a move’s power, expecting the move to do minimal damage, but instead, it knock’s Giratina out. This is why you always prepare. Soft Resetting is affected by the Shiny Charm. Here is a list of all shiny-locked Pokémon. Masuda Method The Masuda Method is on easy method for beginners. Every Pokémon that can be bred can be hatched shiny with the Masuda Method. This requires two Pokémon of different geographical origin, i.e. a Japanese Ditto (which is the most ideal) and a Pokémon from a different part of the world. Breeding them together results in a 5x increase in the chance of hatching a shiny Pokémon. A bicycle is recommended for this method, as hatching eggs would be difficult without it. The oval charm is also an optional item that allows the player to obtain eggs faster from the Daycare. The Masuda Method is affected by the Shiny Charm. Pokéradar Pokéradar is a method introduced in generation one, reintroduced in generation 6, and is considered the most difficult method, which includes running around in a large patch of grass for 50 steps, using the radar, and if your patch is not good enough, you repeat the process. You must encounter the same Pokémon over and over until you get to a chain of 40. Requirements for this method include about 200 Super Repels, the Pokéradar, a Pokémon with a lot of PP, killing off or capturing the Pokémon you encounter, patience, and a good attention span. You may start in any patch except for one that barely shakes at all. Once the patches shake again, be sure to look for patches that shake vigorously. Avoid any other patch. Reset the radar by running around for 50 steps if no vigorously shaking patches appear. Once you get up to a chain of 40 successful encounters, continue to run around and reset the radar until a shiny patch appears. Note that if upbeat music begins to play, there is a 1/200 chance of a shiny appears. This music can last for any number of resets between between 1 through 5. Actions that can break your chain are encountering a different Pokémon other than the one you started your chain with, stepping into a barely shaking patch of grass that yields no Pokémon, or leaving the area.The Pokéradar is affected by the Shiny Charm. Chain Fishing Chain fishing is the method where shiny appear most often when done correctly. Chain fishing is consecutively reeling in a Pokémon using a fishing rod without fail. This means it after you cast that fishing rod, a Pokémon MUST be reeled in in order for your chain to continue. Chain fishing, like horde hunting, has the same drawback of having a generation six exclusivity. Preparation for this type of hunt is required. You’ll definitely need a Pokémon with the Sticky Hold or Suction Cups ability in the front slot of your party if you can’t find any rocks around. If you do manage to find a rocky area, fishing where there is an enclosed area around your rod’s bobber will always guarantee that a fish will appear. During your hunt, your main goal is to pay attention and keep the chain going. You’ll need to pay attention so you don’t reel in your fish too late, not get a bite, and ultimately break your chain. The good thing is that the chain’s odds max out at twenty successful reels, leaving you with a one out of one hundred chance to encounter a shiny. You may even get your shiny before the chain’s chances max out, as with every reel, your chances increase up until you get to twenty. Chain Fishing is not affected by the Shiny Charm Friend Safari Friend Safari is a generation 6 exclusive method similar to Random Encounters in Pokémon X and Y. The same rules apply, but the method has greatly increased odds of 8x the regular chances, meaning there is an 8/4098, or 1/512 chance of finding a shiny. Every Pokémon found with this method will have at least 2 perfect IVs and will always appear at level 30. Horde Hunting Horde hunting is one of the easiest possible methods. Horde hunting is a type of encounter where you encounter five Pokémon at the same time. The only drawback is that it is exclusive to generation six. If you do however own a generation six game, like X, Y, Omega Ruby, or Alpha Sapphire, then you’re set. Preparation is very necessary in order to encounter your target and either stay alive while trying to capture it, or not knock the shiny out in the process. Preparation includes obtaining a Pokémon that is at least twenty levels above your target. This shouldn’t be hard, as you may have already beaten the game by now. The next thing you’ll need is a Pokémon with the move Sweet Scent. This will guarantee a horde to appear when the move is used in grass. This, however, will not work in the rain in X or Y. (This was changed in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.) Patience is required, since shiny hunting is based completely on luck, and you may not even get the shiny when you’re supposed to, but that’s not very likely unless it has a 5% appearance rate. Now, say you do find your shiny. Capturing the shiny requires you to pay attention to which Pokémon in the horde you’re attacking. This means you’re going to take hits from at least 4 Pokémon at first, and you’ll take some damage. As you faint the other Pokémon around the shiny, the attacks will be less devastating and you won’t need to worry about your HP. Now that you’ve fainted every other Pokémon on the field other than the shiny, you'll need to capture it. This should be relatively easy, as every Pokémon that can appear in a horde is relatively low leveled and has a high catch rate. Just throw Pokéballs and hope it catches. Horde Hunting is affected by the Shiny Charm. Dexnav Dexnaving is a method exclusive to Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire from generation six. In order to start dexnaving, you’ll need to prepare, like every other shiny hunting method. You’ll want to stock up on Super Repels so you don’t encounter any random Pokémon while Dexnaving. Before you go any further, get the Acro Bike from Mauville City. You’ll also need a very high level Pokémon, preferably level one hundred with strong moves, mostly ones where Pokémon don’t have an immunity to a its type, like Dragon, Psychic, Normal, Fighting, or Ghost. Leppa Berries are also something you’ll want since you’ll need to restore your PP when it gets depleted. The PP restoring O-Power is also incredibly helpful. This can be obtained by talking to the men near the map in the Mauville Pokémon Center, waiting for them to walk out, and then exiting and re-entering the building and repeating the process. Now that you’re all set, choosing your target may be difficult at first, but once you find a shiny you can hunt that you also like, the hunt will be a lot of fun. To start Dexnaving, you’ll want to have captured your target previously in order to be able to manually search for it. Once this is done, click on the icon of your target and press the “Search” button. Be sure you’re not standing in the grass when you press the “Search” button for future reference. You should hear the cry of your target and arrows should appear on the bottom screen, indicating the distance from your target. In the grass, a wiggling silhouette of a body should be in a singular patch of grass. Enter the grass by using the circle pad to slowly sneak up to it. Walking with the D-pad will scare it away and you’ll break your chain. Once you’ve encountered it, knock it out and go out of the grass into an area next to the grass, close enough to where you can still see it. Repeat the process until you get your shiny. This is random and has a moderately high chance of success. Note that only Pokémon in that area can be Dexnaved and you cannot Dexnav for “one-time encounters”, like legendary Pokémon. Dexnav is affected by the Shiny Charm. S.O.S. Battles S.O.S. Battles are a new type of battle introduced in generation 7 which is a type of battle spurred by a regular encounter, and in which a Pokémon calls for an ally. Upon reaching a chain of 30, every Pokémon called will have 4 perfect IVs, and at a chain of 70, each Pokémon will have an increased chance to be shiny. Preparations include Adrenaline orbs, which make the Pokémon more likely to call for help, a lot of Leppa Berries, Sitrus berries/other health restoring items or moves, and a high level Pokémon capable of taking hits. Continue to knock out the original caller to continue the chain. If the original caller is knocked out, your chain will break unless you switch to a new caller. S.O.S. Battles are affected by the Shiny Charm. Here is a list of Pokémon that cannot call for help. Category:Help